"With lush and heavy atmospheres, guided by stunning vocals, Sky Lions forge strong melodies and tightly-interlocked instrumentation, surging on vocal intensity that is pronounced and haunting. Leading us through a winding labyrinth of dark allure, they weave a rich tapestry of sound" ~ Amplify Music Magazine
Portland-based music mavericks Sky Lions present their new album 'Inside The Circle', a nine-track offering that presents a powerful blend of post-punk with alternative and hard rock.
Made up of Radio Sloan and Outer Stace, Sky Lions is a project with roots that trace back to when the two met as children at a summer day camp in Oregon. Beginning to play music together in their mid-teens, the two enjoy an almost psychic ability to communicate with one another musically, creating music that inspires them and is inspired by one another's vibrancy during the writing process, the world around them, and trust in each other’s vision.
From their early days experimenting with instruments to their evolution into Sky Lions, they have carved a niche where innovation, music, feminism, Trans/queer identity and horror come together.
"Neither of us have worked so hard on a musical project in our lives. Life does what life will do, and while we started out making music together as teenagers, our paths took different turns in our adult lives, though we never lost touch. Radio is a prolific songwriter and I will write on anything with a surface when a lyric comes to mind. Together, we decided it was time to make what we wanted to make and how we wanted to make it," says Outer Stace.
"The expectations of others were not a consideration for us when we recorded this album. It was an exorcism, a purging of sounds and words we had not previously had the capacity for, as it is such a complex project. Today, we are ready and have poured our love, freely expressed ideas and the deepest parts of our souls into the writing, production, artwork for this record."
While half of the genre bending, post-punk art rock queercore duo The Need, Radio Sloan also has a colorful history that includes being the guitarist in Courtney Love’s touring band The Chelsea, and also in Scarling and Peaches' live band The Herms. While releasing music as a solo artist, Radio Sloan has also been involved in numerous other artists' projects, including contributing guitar for Le Tigre, co-writing for The Transfused and composing music for soundtracks and scores, including 'The Herstory of Riot Grrrl'.
Apart from Sky Lions, Outer Stace is known to many as the vocalist for Portland electro-rock / gothic / post-punk band Photona and synth-drum duo Time Bitch.
As Sky Lions, they weave together the threads of life's absurdity, unquestionable magic and tragedy. Their trans / queer / feminist lens adds a relatability of lives lived and times to come, creating an immersive sonic journey that challenges the mind as well as the ears. They have been described as; intentional, personal, intense, dark, and that their music feels thoughtful, “real” and “honest”. Through genre-blurring compositions and evocative lyrics, they hope to channel their ethos into a call for transformation ! They hope that their songs challenge stereotypes, and ignite conversation.
"Our sound is that of accepting existence for all its flaws. Sky Lions has a darkness that isn't entirely heavy metal, post-punk or darkwave. Rather, it’s a culmination of who we have been, who we currently are, and how we interpret the world around us. Moving within that world is the core of our musical expression," says Radio Sloan.
"Sonically, we have built what (we hope) achieves clear visuals and feelings of things otherworld-ly , pain, power, love, peace, anger, and fear, sans the lyrical content. Lyrically, the music is an open letter to whoever is reading. We write about the struggles of be-ing an Other, a Woman, a reluctant participant in society and a human being. “Raw and honest” is something we hope comes through in every song."
'Inside The Circle' is out now, available digitally from fine music platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp.
ALBUM CREDITS
Music by Radio Sloan and Outer Stace
Recording, production, mastering by Radio Sloan and Outer Stace
Radio Sloan - guitar, percussion, synth, bass, banjo, programming
Outer Stace - vocals and lyrics
Visual art by Radio Sloan and Outer Stace
Concept, art direction and graphic design by Outer Stace
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